Employment
Labour Law reformed to abolish exit permits and the kafala link
Reforms between 2018 and 2020 removed exit permit requirements and the need for employer consent to change jobs, and introduced a non-discriminatory minimum wage.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Labour Dispute Resolution Committees, with appeal to the Court of Appeal. Domestic workers are covered by a separate law.
- Deadline — 1 year to bring a labour claim after the entitlement arises
- Deadline — 30 to 60 days' notice depending on length of service
Governing law
- Labour Law, Law 14 of 2004
- Law 17 of 2020 — minimum wage and job mobility
- Law 13 of 2018 — abolition of exit permits for most workers
- Law 15 of 2017 on Domestic Workers
In practice
Qatar's labour reforms were the most substantial in the Gulf and were driven by sustained scrutiny around the 2022 World Cup, and it is fair to record both that the legal changes were real and that enforcement remains contested. The removal of the exit permit and of employer consent for job changes dismantled the two central controls of the kafala system, and the minimum wage of QAR 1,000 plus food and accommodation allowances applies without distinction by nationality. The Workers' Support and Insurance Fund exists to pay wages where an employer defaults. Domestic workers sit under Law 15 of 2017 with weaker protection and much weaker enforcement.